Heart Over Sword

Evanna glanced at her sides, registering the swords pointed at her. She clenched her teeth together when her eyes landed on the prince again and his smug smile. Maybe she should wipe that smile from his face. It had been a while since they fought, but this wouldn't be a dual for fun; Conrad was another obstacle in her way of leaving Direwood and searching for the gem. 

"I know what you are thinking. I wouldn't," Conrad said in a bored tone. 

Evanna eyed him from head to toe; his build was much larger, full of muscles and tattoos from what she could see of his nearly fully unbuttoned shirt. The arrogant.. She let her thoughts fall away because if she had his looks, then maybe she too would be as conceited. Though he needed a personality change. His dirty blonde hair had also grown out and pulled back into a bun, and his face.. 

It was nothing like Arawn's deadly and strikingly captivating looks, which were smooth like marble with sharp cheekbones, but the Demon Prince held his own. 

Conrad had grown into a man, any resemblance of innocence (if there was any), and 'baby fat' was sharpened out into a strong jawline with stubble gracing his features. Evanna's eyes paused when she saw his lips and couldn't contain her own smug smile at the scar. Her gaze snapped back to his, now that she had seen who she would be up against. But this only took a matter of seconds before she replied sharply,

"How would you know what I am thinking-"

"Have you forgotten the many summers we have spent together?" Conrad interrupted, taking a step towards her.

"Unfortunately not," She replied dryly. Conrad smiled again, a twinkle of amusement in those golden star-coloured eyes; she knew he was enjoying this and that just annoyed her even more. "Please do tell, why is the second prince of Hatherland in Direwood forest AND commanding his men to aim their weapons at the Princess of Dunhurst? Some would think you want to wage war, Conrad."

Conrad chuckled loudly, the sound genuine as he stared at her. "You already know why I am here, darling. Your friend informed you last night, and you made many interesting theories."

Evanna's jaw went slack, and she looked at him through squinted eyes. So it seemed he heard all of her and Ronan's conversation the previous night, and if memory serves well, he also saw her holding Ronan's arm in her sleep. "Then you already know how I cannot let that happen," She warned, her voice lowering icily. 

In one swift move, Evanna hopped up from her seated position and balanced on her tiptoes before pushing off from Shardeigh and jumping over the tip of one of his men's swords, landing gracefully in front of the prince. Conrad's gaze flickered behind her, and he shook his head, signalling to his men not to attack her. He tilted his head to the side, with a lazy smile on his lips, "*You cannot win.*"

"*How is your lip?*" Evanna purposefully glanced at the scar she left on him from the last time they fought. She unsheathed her swords and fluently swung them in a circle, the sound of the metal whistling from the swords cutting through the air, the sunlight shimmering off the blades. 

"You are awfully confident," Conrad muttered, then smirked, "I quite like this carefree Evanna.."

Evanna lunged forwards without warning, not caring his sword was still sheathed behind his back. But just as she expected, Conrad moved in a blur and appeared to her left side; she blocked the black sword swinging down towards her. 

CLANG!

The pair faced each other; their swords crossed. "I don't particularly care what you like, Conrad," Evanna said through gritted teeth, struggling against his immense strength. Yet as she glanced at his posture and his face again, he looked bored, barely using any energy while she was breaking out in a sweat. 

Conrad pushed her back, and she skidded back 10 meters, almost losing her balance. Evanna narrowed her eyes at the prince. "Stop wasting time and energy, Evanna," He barked across the space between them.

Evanna knew he was right, but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to see past the idea of losing to him. Even though Conrad was now the best warrior in the human kingdoms, she could not and would not give up. The thought of the prince capturing her and using her for his own gain stirred a blazing fury in her heart, and with that fury she dashed towards him again. 

While Evanna and prince Conrad were fighting lethally, Ronan was now standing next to the five men who accompanied prince Conrad. Their swords were lowered now, and they all stood in a line watching the two royals battle it out. Ronan had spent a bit of time with them and felt relaxed next to them, even though he was not meant to. But the Northerners, large and scary looking with their battle scars and large swords and axes, were quite the rowdy bunch when they wanted to be and had been entertaining. 

"My bet is still on the prince," Drew, prince Conrad's closest friend and second-best warrior in Hatherland's second army controlled by Conrad.

Ronan only knew this from the whispers spreading through the camp of the Dunhurst soldiers. Drew's dark brown hair fell to his shoulders, his facial hair trimmed neatly to his jawline. His face was not pretty like his, but he could still tell past the bent nose (definitely once broken and pushed back into place) and the scar on his eyebrow that he was a looker. 

Drew was the most relaxed out of the five men standing next to Ronan; his arms were crossed against his leather armoured chest, his large biceps on show. He wanted to question if all the Northerners were mad, but he presumed it was much colder where he came from than in Direwood forest. 

"Hmm, the Princess has some stylish moves, though. She has definitely improved since the last time I saw her fight. A dual wielder now as well," Erland, prince Conrad's other closest friend or as Ronan presumed from his lack of using titles and formalities in front of the prince in private.

Erland was of a leaner build, not as muscular as the prince or Drew, and seemed a bit younger, possibly a year older than Evanna. But he only presumed from his mannerisms and the more youthful glow to his smooth skin. His scars were over his arms, but they didn't look to be from fighting in battle and more from the brutal sting of a whip.

"What's that on your chin?" Drew tapped his chin; Erland wiped his chin in with a furrowed brow and looked at Drew in confusion. "You've got a bit of drool there.." Drew burst into a roar of laughter, his voice echoing along the trees. Prince Conrad looked in their direction and shook his head before managing to dodge one of Evanna's killer blows. 

Erland swung a punch at Drew in a playful manner, and the larger man pulled him into a headlock. "Easy lad," He released him then eyed Ronan. "How'd you know the princess, Roach?" 

They really weren't concerned with the prince and princess fighting. Prince Conrad's men were acting like they were letting the pair blow off steam, though when Ronan looked at the prince, he could tell Evanna was no match for him and he was merely playing with her. It angered him, but it was better than either one of them getting hurt. Not that he cared for the Demon Prince. 

On the other side of the forest floor, Evanna clashed swords with Conrad again. She was tiring herself out, but it felt good to be letting her anger out on him. They spun simultaneously and their swords were crossed again; this time, though, Evanna could not easily evade or push the prince back, he was far too strong, and she was now weak from her relentless blows. Sweat formed at her brow and trickled down the back of her neck, she tried to keep her breath even, but it had become ragged from keeping up with the prince.

Evanna gulped as she realised just how close their faces were to each other. She stared back at the prince, almost feeling pulled into those swirling golden eyes but then she saw a flicker of humour and mischief forming behind them. Evanna's brows furrowed, her eyes flicking between his with a questioning gaze. Then in shocked silence, her eyes rounded as Conrad swiftly leaned towards her lips, past the barrier of their blades. 

Conrad brushed his lips against hers, and she lost her balance from the shock toppling her backwards, and the next thing she knew, her swords flew across the forest floor, her backside planted on the ground, her legs spread wide with prince Conrad kneeling before her. A smirk played on his lips as he pointed his sword at Evanna. "Are you done now?"

Evanna stared at the prince, not at all unnerved by the sword in her face and wiped her hand across her lips, halting when she realised her mask was still covering half her face. "You kissed me.." She whispered in disbelief. 

"You have a mask on," Conrad arched a brow, the corner of his lips twitching upwards. He was blatantly amused.

"You cheated," She argued and knocked the sword away from her face and stood up with the prince, raising her chin to meet Conrad's gaze. He had to be of Axel's height yet could fight as gracefully as she. 

Conrad stepped closer; his large hand gripping her shoulder, covering it completely as he stared intently at her. "Are you done now?" He repeated his question, though he looked like he already had his answer and leaned closer to her before she finished reaching for the blade at her hip and added. "Did you forget about your friend Roach?" Conrad almost purred his threat and glanced in Ronan's direction. 

Evanna turned her head back and sighed when she saw Conrad's men scramble for their weapons and point them at Ronan. He looked at them inquisitively until Drew slapped his back, and Ronan raised his hands in surrender and looked at her apologetically. Evanna sighed and turned to back to Conrad, who unsheathed her dagger. "In case you have any other ideas in that head of yours."

Evanna rolled her eyes. "You do not need to disarm me," She gave him a pointed look, and his face lit up with a dazzling smile she knew most women would feel weak at the knees from. Not her; she knew what lay beneath that face of his. 

"If you ask me nicely," He whispered next to her ear. "Then I will give you back your toy."

This annoying little.. She held back her muttering of annoyance to her thoughts instead.

"Oh, great Demon Prince, please, PLEASE give me my dagger back," Evanna replied in a monotonous voice.

"It needs some work, but it will do. Here," Conrad grinned, not at all concerned with her sarcasm as he held the knife out for her to take. But when she reached out to grab it, Conrad lowered his hand and sheathed it for her instead; his eyes stayed glued to hers as he did so. 

Evanna huffed and looked away, feeling childish in doing so, but under Conrad's gaze, memories flooded her mind, and she was reminded of times when their interactions were not all bad. "What do you intend to do now?" She asked, but her mind was now spinning on how she and Ronan could escape from Conrad's grasp. Though it might serve them well to go through the rest of Direwood with Conrad and his men, then instead of Shardeigh, she could steal one of the other men's horses.

Lost in her thoughts, Evanna forgot how close Conrad was to her. But the flick of his finger to her forehead forced her to look back into his eyes in annoyance. "I intend to take you back to Dunhurst, where your father is worried sick about you.. But first, I think it is about time we have an overdue chat," Conrad's baritone voice rumbled through his chest, and Evanna's brows drew together at the uncharacteristically kind smile on his features.